Stormbringer
by The Celestial Dragon
Summary: Mandy is a Trainer who seemed to be destined to a stay-at-home life, with nothing but a white feather as a link to her past and dreams. But when an old friend turns up and asks her help, Mandy is challenged to go farther than she could ever imagine.
1. A Normal Morning

**Stormbringer**

It was a calm day. The sky was clear, the wind gently blowing, the Bird Pokemon singing and calling to each other contently. There was nothing like the early morning calm in the Crystal Region.

"AUGH! JACOB, THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"

Till it got broken, of course.

The 17 year-old's cry echoed around the two story house. A woman with dark brown hair wearing an apron walked from the door that led to the kitchen to the base of the stairs that lead to the second floor.

"Jacob! Quit bothering your sister!" she yelled up. Shaking her head, she turned and walked back to the kitchen. "Come on, you two! Breakfast is ready!"

A 10 year-old boy with hair just as brown as his mothers and wildly dishevelled came down immediatly, but his big sister, Mandy, didn't. She was stuck in the bathroom. Jacob had done one of his worst tricks: he put shaving cream in her jeans.

_I'm gonna kill him for this!_ Mandy thought to herself as she changed from the jeans her mom had picked out - a _thing_ with frilly, pink bows that clashed horribly with her favorite ocean blue t-shirt - to her favorite pair of faded blue jeans. Mandy threw the other pair in the dirty clothes hamper.

_Blue is always better._ She flipped her blonde, blue tipped hair out of her face and put on a special belt that was made to hold Pokeballs. She clipped two on to the specialy built holders. But in case she was caught, she put her favorite Pokemon in her backpack.

"Come _on,_ Mandy! You'll be late for school!" her mother called.

"I'm coming! Good grief," she muttered. "Give a girl a break." Mandy came out of the bathroom and walked towards the kitchen.

Breakfast consisted of bacon, eggs and toast. Mandy ignored it and went straight to the pantry where her favorite breakfast was: cereal. She grabbed the box.

"Oh, no you don't!" her mom - Karen - said. "You are going to eat a real breakfast, not that cold stuff," she spat.

"Mom, for the last time, it's called cereal."

"You don't need to get snippy with me, and I don't care what it's called. For the last time, no!" Karen yelled.

Mandy was about to argue more when they both heard Jacob yell "Bus!"

_Oh, crap. I haven't had breakfast!_ Mandy got her backpack and ran. As she neared the door, Karen grabbed her shoulder. "Take the belt and put it in your room. You know it's not allowed."

"Okay! Good grief." Mandy added under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. See you later." Mandy took off the belt, threw it on a nearby chair, and rushed out the door and reached the road just as the bus pulled up. The door opened, and she and Jacob got on. _Why the hell am I cursed like this?_ Mandy thought as she sat down with her best friend, Danielle. As the bus took off, Mandy began to chat with her bud, and soon she forgot all the things that happened that morning. They got stuck on one subject: Pokemon.

"Hey, what's your favorite type of Pokemon, Mandy?" Danielle asked. "Mine's Flying."

"Didn't I already tell you this a hundred times?'

"Remind me?" Danielle giggled, making her blonde friend sigh.

Mandy thought for a few seconds. Then she turned to her brown haired, brown eyed friend. "I'm torn between Dragon and Water types."

"What is your favorite Legendary? Mine's Mew! It's just sooooo adorable!"

"You're not faking just to get me to talk, are you?"

"Mandy!" The brunette looked hurt.

"Oh, all right. My favorite Legendary," Mandy said slowly, flipping her blue-tipped hair back to tease, "is Lugia."

"Lugia? Too cool," Danielle exclaimed. That's when they pulled up at the high school, something that Mandy found pointless when she'd rather be training her Pokemon. It was a huge pity that there wasn't a Trainer's School around.

"I'll see you later, okay? Say hi to Kaitlynn for me!" Mandy called as she descended off the bus.

As the bus pulled away, Mandy scooped out the high school she went to. She walked into the large double doors. The cafeteria was in the center of the school, connected to all halls. At the very back was where the lunch line was. In front of the line a few ways away was where Mandy and her three friends sat every morning, and today was no different.

"Hey, Mandy's here!" one of her friends, a guy who always dressed in a red sweater with brown hair, called out.

"Hey, Jeff." Mandy replied.

"You sure like to take forever to get here." another replied. She had blondish brown hair and glasses and had a sweater that said 'Slitherin' on it. Her name was Ashley.

"Well excuse the bus then, will ya? Lucky car rider," Mandy retorted. She sat down and began to describe her morning to her three friends. They listened intently.

"You _fell_ for the cream in the pants? I thought you were smarter than that!" said the third of her friends when she had finished. He wore black everything and wore glasses.

"Gee thanks, Matt. I feel the love." was the reply. All of them laughed. That's when the bell rang for first block.

"Crap!" Mandy said. "I'll see you guys later." She rushed down the 400 hall to her computer class.

When Mandy finally got out of first block, she was tired. You would be too if you had to get up at 5:30 in the morning just to catch a bus that didn't come till 7.

As Mandy went to her next class, she let her mind wander through memories. Some were good, some where bad, and some where just plain horrible. Then another memory came up. Mandy smiled. This memory was the sweetest of them all. She thought back to the time at the beach, six years ago...

_"Mandy! Don't go too far!" Karen called, opening the umbrella, only to almost have it get yanked away by the strong ocean breeze._

_"Okay!" Mandy was six years old at the time, wearing a turquoise bathing suit with orange flowers on it. Her family was at the beach on a short vacation. The young girl waved at her mother and father, and then ran down to the clear, blue water._

_Mandy loved how the way the water sparkled in the sunshine, and how the sand was soft beneath her little feet. She shivered a little as her toes hit the cool, clear water. After she got used to the water, she started swimming towards a reef that was a few ways away from shore._

_Despite being only six years old, Mandy was a strong swimmer and a very good diver. Her strokes were even and propelled her with great speed. Her feet kicked strongly, barely making a ripple behind her._

_When she reached the reef, she began to inhale small breathes and exhale them, and after she exhaled, she would take a bigger breath. Her unnoficial swim instructor (otherwise known as her mother) had said that would allow her to stay beneath the waves longer._

_After a minute, her lungs were expanded to full size and capable of holding air for a long time. Only then did she dive down into the clear water. At first, she had her eyes closed. But after a few seconds, she opened them a crack, only to have them open up wide in amazement. _

_'Wow!'_

_The reef was a malestrom of colors, all blending perfectly together. And the Pokemon were no different. All sorts of small Water Pokemon were on or near the reef, shining all the colors of the rainbow._

_A small group of pink heart-shaped Pokemon called Luvdisc swam towards her. One brave one swam right up to her while the others hung back, watching her carefully. Mandy would have giggled if she wasn't underwater. She stretched her hand out and stroked the Luvdisc. Startled, it swam away. But the petting must have felt good, for an instant later, it was back and rubbing her still stretched-out hand. The other Luvdisc saw this and immediately clustered around her, begging to be stroked. But Mandy needed air. She kicked her feet, being careful not to hit the little Pokemon that followed her._

_Mandy's head broke the surface of the sea, and she breathed great gulps of the pristine air. Calming down, she looked out to the wide open ocean. She looked away, and then looked back. She could have sworn she saw a flash of pure white feathers out somewhere near… Shrugging, Mandy dove again. She swam down to the base of the reef, unaware that the Luvdisc weren't the only one's watching and following her..._

_Mandy swam up to a medium sized purple shell and looked over it. Curious, she tapped the shell. The shell opened, and a large, pink tongue came out._

_Startled, Mandy pushed off the reef… into the group of Luvdisc. The little Pokemon clustered around her, stopping her backward fall (so to speak). Smiling, Mandy looked back to see what had made her freak. No wonder! It's a Shellder!_

_The Shellder blinked sleepily at her and the Luvdisc. Grinning, Mandy swam up to it. It looked at her curiously, then pulled its tongue back in and closed its shell. In a few seconds, Mandy could hear some soft snores. If she wasn't underwater, she would have laughed._

_Mandy needed air again. Once more she kicked strongly towards the surface. After her head broke through and she took several deep breaths, she realized something was wrong. Mandy looked around and realized that everyone had gotten out of the water. She saw her mother on the beach, searching for her. It was obvious her mother spotted her, because Karen started to wave at her frantically._

_Not understanding, Mandy waved back at her. Karen tried yelling, but her daughter was to far away to hear over the sound of the waves. Mandy began to take more breathes to go under again. Since her back was to the open sea, she didn't see the fin that was slowly coming towards her…_

_When Mandy dove, she looked around, thoroughly confused. Not one Pokemon was in sight. Even the Luvdisc had disappeared. Hovering in the water above the reef, Mandy looked over it. That's when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Turning to look, she jumped up at least a half foot in the water. Her mouth opened and she screamed, and then shut it when water filled her lungs._

_A Sharpedo was speeding straight towards her, going incredibly fast._

_Frantically, Mandy looked for somewhere to hide. Finding nowhere to hide, she kept hovering. She balled her hands into fists. She knew the Sharpedo's skin was rough, and it would probably hurt her, but she would go down kicking. But an ache in her chest told her that she would have to breathe soon. Now she was sure she would die._

_The Sharpedo, seeing that she had no where to go, and that she would fight, slowed down considerably. Mandy watched in terror as it got closer and closer. The ache in her chest had turned into a burning sensation. And still the Sharpedo came closer, ever closer…_

_Suddenly, a flash of white appeared in the corner of her eye. Mandy didn't have time to look at it before it was in front of her, blocking her from the Sharpedo._

_When Mandy looked closer, she saw it was a Pokemon. Its body was covered in pure white feathers that shone in the sunlight that dappled the water. There were dark blue rectangular things where on its back, lying flat. Two dark blue things sprouted out from either side of its head. The head itself was on a long slender neck. Two wings were spread out, making the young Pokemon look bigger. At the end of the wings, what appeared to be fingers where spread out._

_The little Pokemon opened its mouth, revealing two sharp fangs on its top jaw. It gave a miniature roar that stopped the Sharpedo dead. Fear flashed in the predators eyes. Why does it looked so scared? Mandy wondered, barely conscious. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. The Sharpedo looked positively terrified. It began to back away…_

_**WHAM!**_

_Too late. A large head butted the Sharpedo away from where it was. It looked like the head of the young Pokemon in front of Mandy, except it was much bigger, and the blue things on its head were more pointed and sharper looking._

_Terror flashed in the Sharpedo's eyes as it tried to speed away. The larger Pokemon nodded to its offspring and gave chase, giving out a tremendous roar that shook the whole reef._

_Mandy's lungs felt like they were locked in a vice-like grip. She saw black on the edge of her vision. She needed air desperately, but found she was unable to move. The young Pokemon turned towards her. Mandy saw its eyes: a deep, unending blackness full of concern._

_The Pokemon swam underneath her. Surprisingly, it spoke._

'Hang onto my neck. I'll get you back to shore.'_ Its voice sounded like a little girls voice. Like Mandy's voice._

_Mandy wrapped her arms around the young Pokemon and squeezed tight. Something told her…She didn't have time to finish the thought; the young Pokemon swam so fast she couldn't think at all. She couldn't hold her breath any longer. She opened her mouth…and found she and the young Pokemon where on the beach, hovering slightly in the air._

_The Pokemon landed on the beach. Gasping, Mandy slid off its back and collapsed on the ground, coughing up water. The Pokemon crouched beside her, rubbing its wing on her belly, trying to comfort her._

'Are you alright?'_ it asked._

_Mandy looked up at the Pokemon. Now that she was out of the water, she could see that this Pokemon was indeed a girl. She didn't know how, but somehow she could tell. "I-I'm fine. I think."_

'You think or you know?'

_Mandy's head went up in surprise. The Pokemon's eyes had a hint of humor in them. She smiled. "I know."_

'That's good. I was afraid you might-hey!'_ Mandy had tried to rise, but her legs were too weak; she slumped against the Pokemon, exhausted. Sighing, the Pokemon bent her head down and nuzzled her gently._

'Would you like me to sing you a song?'_ Sleepily, Mandy nodded. Taking a deep breath, the Pokemon began to sing._

_Her voice was sounded like the sweetest flute, slipping over the notes with ease. The song she sang made Mandy want to laugh and cry, jump up and down yet stay still, all at once. Silently, Mandy listened, entranced._

_The blackness on the edge of Mandy's vision was growing. She willed it to stay back, not wanting to miss any of the song that was so achingly beautiful._

_Soon the Pokemon's song faded. Mandy was in front of her, lying on her side, too tired to get up. She dimly heard the sound of pounding feet headed straight towards them. The Pokemon craned her graceful white neck to look. Alarm flashed in her eyes. She bent her head down and plucked one of her white feathers from her wing. She put it in Mandy's outstretched hand and spoke quickly._

'I have to go now. I hope you'll be okay.'_ She turned to go._

_"Wait!" Mandy called. The Pokemon looked back. "What's your name?"_

_The Pokemon looked at her for a long moment, her eyes filled with conflicted feelings. Finally, she spoke one word._

'Waverunner.'_ The Pokemon turned her head back, walked the last couple of steps to get to the edge of the sea, and dove into the crystal waters, disappearing into the dark depths._

_Mandy watched her go, and then lay her head on the sand, letting the blackness fill her vision. The pounding of feet grew so loud she could hardly stand it. Then she heard one word that made her more tired then ever._

_"MANDY!" Karen swooped down on her daughter with the entire beach at her heels. People began to cluster around them. Mandy didn't care. The darkness was inviting her in, promising sleep. She clutched the feather tightly to her heart. She spoke one word._

_"Waverunner." she whispered._

_Mandy heard one note, pure and clear as an answer, then all became black and silent._

"Miss Mandy, will you stop daydreaming and get your formula's written down?"

Startled out of her trance, the teenager jumped, almost causing herself to fall out of her desk, much to her embaressment and the class amusement. "S-sorry, Mr. Mauk! I'll get right on it!"

"See that you do." Her Geometry teacher sighed, and turned back to the board, writing out how to put trigonomic functions to use in a right triangle.

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><p><strong>I'mma back! I'mma back! :D :D :D Whoot! I've decided to go over and get this story back up and running. Though I'm more interested in Naruto nowadays, I just can't abandoned this story when I haven't finished it! And good grief, does it need updating. My writing is WAY better now! Dx So expect the good stuff from now on!<strong>


	2. A Secret Place

**Stormbringer**

The final bell of the school day rang, and before it had even stopped students rushed out of their classes, eager to escape their own personal prison. A few took their time, meeting up and chatting with their friends, which formed a line that others who wished to hurry found annoying to go around, especially when the line took up the whole hall length. Mandy was caught behind one such line, and it was getting on her nerves. Easily getting fed up with the slow pace, she moved to the wall, flattened herself against it, and slipped past the group of giggling girls. The girl on the end that she passed, though, didn't seem to like this.

"Hey, why don't you stay behind us?" she asked, voice snippy.

"Because unlike you, I have a life," the blonde shot back, and easily hurried away, leaving the girl to steam with her friends.

There was a reason Mandy was hurrying out of there. Today was Friday, and she always went somewhere each Friday after leaving her school things at home. Her mother didn't aprove of her going there, but had agreed to let her, on the account that she get home before dark. That frequently got on Mandy's nerves, as she prefered to go to her special place at night rather than day. But she took what she could, and besides, she could always sneak out.

Waving at her friends waiting for the bus, Mandy moved around to the far side of the school, where no cars or busses passed. It was usually where the druggies and smokers went when they wanted to blow classes off, but the spot served Mandy in a different way. Ignoring the lingering smell from another student's visit, the blonde dug into her backpack, smirking as her hand curled around the smooth object that she needed.

"Alright. Go, Silvercloud!" she shouted, tossing the Pokeball high into the air. It seemed to ascend in slow motion, then started back down for a second before opening and hovering, a brilliant white light escaping and flowing to the air in front of the teenager, who caught the ball when it returned and grinned as the light disipated, leaving behind her beautiful, if not oddly colored, Dragon/Ground Pokemon, Flygon.

Flapping her wings, the dragon hovered a few feet off the ground, enjoying the feeling of exercising her muscles. Instead of the usual green and red of the species, this Pokemon had a light color of blue in place of green pigment, and was edged with silver that sparkled when hit with the sunlight. The covers that were usually placed over the eyes of the species was noticibly absent, letting the liquid golden eyes of Silvercloud be shown. The Flygon spied her trainer, and landed, tilting her head and giving a questioning trill.

"The bus is too slow." Mandy grinned at her favorite Pokemon. "You're way faster than any kind of motorized wheels anyway."

The Pokemon puffed out its chest proudly, causing her trainer to giggle. Walking up to her, Mandy hopped lightly up onto Silvercloud's back, grinning and holding onto her streamlined neck. "Let's fly, girl!"

With a happy cry, Silvercloud flapped her wings and flew at a vertical angle to gain height, quickly zooming up into the cloud-dotted sky. Circling once long enough for Mandy to wave at those who looked up to see her, the Flygon took off towards their home, elated to be in the air.

Grinning, the teenage Trainer bent forward and hugged her Pokemon, recieving a noise that sounded close to a purr, but wasn't. Often, Mandy's mom questioned why she even bothered to capture and train her three Pokemon, but Mandy just as often refused to answer her questions. She would never tell her mother, who was perfectly fine staying at home being a mother and wanted the same for her daughter, that she longed to wander the world, free to do anything she wanted with only her Pokemon as companions and battles as the way to pass the time. It was her secret, her dream, and hers alone to long for.

Silvercloud got to the house in record time, as usual, and landed silently in the front yard of the house. Jumping off of her back, Mandy patted the Pokemon's back and asked her to wait, since she was her trainer's only mode of transportation to the place. Walking up the front steps and onto the porch, Mandy slipped into her house quietly, preferring that her mother not hassle her about going out. It wasted precious time.

Making her way upstairs like a cat burgler, the blonde dropped her backpack on her bed to muffle any sound, and grabbed her Pokeball Belt (which her mother had oh so nicely thrown into her room without a care), which still had her other two Pokeballs attatched. The other items she chose to go with her was a smaller, much easier to carry blue backpack slung onto her shoulder, and put a medical kit, with medicine for both humans and Pokemon, and a pure silver flute, begged for when it was seen in an antique store not long after the incident at the beach, inside the pack. A small smile spread on the girl's face as she ran her fingers over the flute's smooth surface. _So many memories..._

The sound of footsteps heading up the stairs brought Mandy back to the present, alerting her of someone's approach to the upper level of the house. Panicking, the blonde girl opened her window quickly and silently, then jumped out the window, emitting a short whistle as she fell.

At once, a blue and silver blur appeared, rocketing around the corner of the house and going right for the falling teen. Throwing her arms out, Mandy caught Silvercloud's neck and was whisked away, though at the expense of her now screaming arm sockets. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Mandy righted herself onto the Pokemon's back, rubbing her newly sore muscles with a heavy sigh. "Let's go, Silvercloud."

Nodding and trilling rather joyfully, the Dragon type obeyed, soaring up high, as high as the lowerst clouds would be, and headed for the west, towards the coast of the region, only twenty miles away, give or take. All in all, it was a fifteen minute flight, given the Flygon's speed in the air, short, and very pleasent in the afternoon sunlight. Mandy let her hair get tangled in the cool breeze, though she knew that she'd catch hell untangling it later. Thankfully, she had a spare brush in her pack that she kept in there all the time, she'd fix most of it when she got to her special spot.

Soon enough, the land beneath them began to receed away, making way for a rapidly appearing expanse of blue-green water that stretched seemingly endlessly before them in the air. Mandy took a deep breath, and smelled the slight ting of salt that she loved since she was a young child. "The usual place, Silver!" she shouted to her companion above the wind, which was a bit hard to do, but something both were used to. With a snort, the Flygon started her rapid decent back to Mother Earth.

To Mandy, this was her favorite part of flying: the feeling you got in the pit of your stomach as you dropped hundreds of feet going uncountable miles per hour. It was unlike an roller coaster drop on the planet, and indescribable was the feeling of the adrenaline, exhileration, and ting of fear that was renewed each and every time Silvercloud went down from the sky. The girl clutched the Pokemon's neck tightly, knowing and trusting her friend to bring her down safely.

She wasn't disappointed. Not fifty seconds later, the unusally colored Dragon landed as gracefully as she always did, back feet first, with barely a jolt when lowering her front end to the ground so her Trainer could slip down from her back. In her usual fasion, Mandy sank to the white sand on the beach as her legs turned to jelly and her breathing attempted to even out. Giggling some, the teen lay back on the sand, letting the fine grains cusion her body. "Good job, Silver." She grinned as her companion struck a pose in pride.

After giving herself enough time to adjust to walking again, Mandy stood and recalled the Flygon to her Pokeball for a well-earned rest. Clipping the ball to her belt, Mandy started walking towards the sea, glad that she wore water-resistant sandles instead of tennis shoes and socks. They'd be a hassle to clean up anyway. A sigh of bliss passed her lips, and her ocean-blue eyes closed as she let the salty water cool her toes. Allowing herself a brief bit of pleasure that way, Mandy began walking down the beach, to her favorite spot that wasn't too far from where she had landed with Silvercloud.

Her pace quickened when she saw the large pile of rocks with the one giant one pearched perfectly on the others, the shapes smooth and clean from years of ocean waves running against them. Taking off her pack when reaching the spot, Mandy sat down on the sand, perfectly at home when alone on the beach, with no sound but waves and the wind. The sun was already starting to set at this point, much to her disappointment. She could have sworn that she'd have more time.

Shrugging the thought away, the girl pulled out her brush and started on de-tangling her blue-tipped hair, which resembled a giant rat's nest after the beating it took from the wind. _Note to self: buy hair ties for air travel._

Mandy gave up after working all but the most stubborn tangles free, her scalp tender after all the yanking she'd had to do to free her hair. Putting the brush away, she drew out her silver flute instead, pausing to look down at the necklace she had worn since it had been created. She usually forgot she wore it, unless she was thinking and unconciously started to stroke the silver capsule, or when she was alone, and had time to reflect on the memories it represented. A smile passed on the teen's lips, and she opened the capsule, and looked fondly at the small, silver feather that lay within, as perfect as the day it had been given to her.

It was her most precious possesion, beside her Pokemon and flute. She had never forgotten Waverunner's song, and was determined to learn to play it perfectly, as perfectly as the little Lugia had the day she saved Mandy's life. And she was so close to doing so, with years of practicing under her belt already. Closing the silver capsule, Mandy lifted the flute to her mouth, positioned her fingers, and attempted the song she so loved from her childhood.

Unfortunatly, it had been two weeks since she had last attempted it, so all that came out was a bunch of incoherant noise that turned her ears inward to block it out. "Damn..." she muttered. Taking a breath, she cleared her mind, remembered the notes, and tried again, with more prosperous results.

The sweet, gentle melody seemed to flow through the instument and into the salt-tanged air around, and even the breeze seemed to pause and listen to it before attempting to dance with the notes. Mandy smiled inwardly, and continued to play, fast approaching the part where she had always had difficulty: the notes that rose so high that they seemed impossible to reach, right before the end of the song. Praying that she got it right, Mandy wrapped her mind around the notes she knew they were, and poured her breath into the silver flute, fingers flying rapidly to hit the notes.

It paid off. The notes soared from the holes in the flute and danced eagerly with the wind, adding to the great beauty of the melody. Heart soaring, Mandy finished with the last few, gentle notes that remained at the end of the song. When they had faded to nothing, she pulled away from the instument and gasped for air, lungs needing it desperatly, but that seemed like such a little thing compared to what she had accomplished. For the first time ever, she had finished Waverunner's lullaby! Mandy seemed to glow from the inside, she felt that good.

Then she noticed...she _was_ glowing.

Startled, Mandy quickly looked down at her necklace, inside of which the light poured. The blonde girl quickly opened the capsule, and gasped when she saw the feather glow with a silver-white light. It hurt just to look at it, but Mandy couldn't help but stare in shock as the light grew brighter, and brighter, searing her eyes to the point of excruciating pain. Crying out, she shut the necklace and covered her eyes, rubbing them to relieve the pain. Unfortunatly, it only made it seem worse.

Then, as suddenly as it had started, it cut off, and Mandy felt herself lose all of her energy. Her eyes remained shut, her mind trapped within her body as it slumped, drained of any will to obey the mind that commanded it to rise, to see if everything was all right. Then the fatigue struck her mind, and all went completly black as she passed out.

A cool light filtered through Mandy's fluttering eyelids, soothing her dully throbbing eyeballs. Blinking several times to clear her vision, the girl managed to sit up, wincing at the pain in her muscles. It felt like she had run a marathon. Twice. That hurt. Rubbing her eyes with her hand to soothe the throbbing, she used one eye to look around herself.

The first thing she noticed was that everything around her was covered in moonlight, not sun. Leaning forward some, Mandy checked to see if her belongings were all there. They were. The next thing she did was open the necklace, shutting her aching eyes just in case it decided to glow again. It didn't. It looked the same as before, only more beautiful in the light of the full moon rising above the waves.

For some reason, the teen's ears were ringing with a high, haunting noise that Mandy found both irritating and alluring. It seemed to fluctuate up and down, which was very odd. Grumbling about how her mother was going to kill her for not coming home early enough, she ran her pinky finger inside her ear canal, trying to stop the ringing.

Then, she heard a few, crystal clear notes from the white noise, and her blue eyes widened. Those notes...they sounded like a part of Waverunner's lullaby. Listening more closely, Mandy realized that the ringing sound _was_ the lullaby, only it was so weak that the notes were squeezed together, unable to be told apart from the rest.

Scrambling to her feet, Mandy ignored the throbbing in her head from her eyes, and tried to pinpoint exactly where the music was coming from. It was still there, but muffled. Like there was something between the place Mandy stood and the source. She tilted her head up and looked at the giant boulder resting upon the smaller ones...it had to be from the other side. If it wasn't, the point on top of the rock would give her a viewpoint so that she could possibly see the source of the song.

Grabbing a handhold in the nearest rock, Mandy hoisted herself up, gritting her teeth against the harsh pain in her muscles from her earlier stunt with catching Silvercloud's neck in midair. Determined not to give up, she found a foothold, then another, then a new handhold...on and on she climbed, a flash of panic appearing inside of her when she realized that the song was fading, becoming sketchy, less pure notes appearing from the white noise, which was nothing more than a dull ring by the time she hoisted herself on top of the biggest rock. Panting to catch her breath, Mandy placed her hands on her knees for a minute to rest, then straightened, looking over to the other side of the pile she stood on...

And then stopped breathing.

Later on, she would swear that her entire being and the world around her had stopped for a few seconds as she saw exactly what lay on the other side. Once the moments had passed, and time returned to its course, tears spilled over from her ocean eyes, and Mandy scrambled down the rocks, not giving a damn if she hurt herself in the process. All that mattered was reaching the figure laying there, with its head lifted from the sand while the large, streamlined body lay useless as the waves curled around its legs, the salt mixing with the river of red that ran from the figure.

Landing on the soft sand, Mandy twisted her ankle harshly, but the wound was immediatly ignored, pain dulling to almost nothing through the midst of her shocked mind. She ran quickly to the figure.

To the broken, bloody body of the great Lugia, Waverunner.

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><p><strong>Yay, got this done. Not bad for barely remembering what I wrote before and putting it all back down in my new style. :3 I had forgotten to mention the necklace in the first chapter, but I hope I made up for it. I know that there isn't a lot of talking in the story so far, but I'll make up for it later. Probably in the next chapter.<strong>

**A thank you for the reviewers on the last chapter! If any of you have any comments or questions, feel free to ask. I'll post the answers to them in the beginning of the next chapters from now on, in case anyone else has similar questions to ask. ;) It feels good to be writing again, that's for sure. -stretches writing muscles- Ahhh... x3**

**~CD**


	3. A Promise

**Next chapter. Yay. Took me a while to think of how I was going to do this one. That, and I got banned from the computer for a while. Oh well, I'm back now. Now, for the answers to last chapter's review(s)!**

**Jugendfrei.: Dead, Waverunner? tsk tsk, then how would she be singing her song? lol and you'll see what happened to her in this chapter. And yes, the lullaby is Lugia's song. I got that one on my iPod too. x3**

**Now, onto the chapter!~**

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><p><strong>Stormbringer<strong>

Mandy's body forced itself over to where the Lugia's head lay on the sand, her song fading into the night like it had never existed. Harsh, shallow breathing replaced the song, alarming the teenager more than she had been before. She collapsed on her knees beside Waverunner's snout, reaching out with a trembling hand to touch the blood-stained feathers.

"Oh, god, Waverunner! Can you hear me? Can you answer?" Mandy asked her through her tears, hoping that she'd be able to discover exactly how her old savior had become so gravely injured.

She felt the slightest stir under her hand, and looked up in time to see Waverunner's deep blue, nearly black eye open, filled with pain and confusion. Mandy feared that the Pokemon wouldn't recognize her for a few seconds, but then she heard that voice in her mind, much older and more mature than when they had last met.

_'You played my lullaby...the one I used before...'_

Nodding, Mandy scooted closer to that open eye, running her hand gently through the blood-stained feathers, not caring that she was getting the red all over herself. "Of course...I couldn't forget it if I tried. Waverunner, what happened to you? How did this happen?"

Waverunner took a shuddering breath, then gave a jumbled noise of pain. Mandy flinched at the sound, feeling the hurt in her own heart at the Legendary's suffering. All she could do was stroke the head slowly, even though it wouldn't do any good. Leaning closer to her, the blonde teenager listened when Waverunner spoke, her voice weak.

_'I heard the song...I thought it was another of my kind waiting for me...before I could leave, I was attacked...I decimated most of them, but their leader...he came and injured me more...'_ Waverunner's breathing became more ragged, like it pained her to take in air. Mandy guessed that whoever that leader was, he did some massive internal damage to her old friend.

"Who attacked you?" The girl knew that she should be patient, but when the life was clearly draining from the Lugia's body, she needed to get every detail that she could before it was too late.

_'Pokemon hunters...but not the normal kind. They are after others like me...more Lugia...to control. He demanded that I hand...my most precious thing over...one I keep with me...I refused and fought to flee...all of them attacked, and tore my body...'_ The Lugia shifted her massive bulk, like she was trying to get more comfortable. Mandy leaned the side of her face next to the Pokemon's eye, watching her and crying quietly.

_'I escaped, obviously.'_ A spark of humor appeared briefly in that eye. _'But I only made it this far...to the place where I had heard my lullaby...being played. Then the waves washed me up, me and my treasure...'_ Another pained breath was inhaled before she continued. _'The leader...he said something before I escaped...'_

Mandy looked at Waverunner's eye. "What did he say?"

_'That he would find me and my treasure, then go to the Isle of Eternal Song...and capture the other Lugia who call the island home, and use them to gain power over all Legendaries.'_

Mandy's blue eyes widened in horror. "Wh-what? No, they can't do that!" Fingers clenched the white and red feathers beneath as the girl stiffined, anger appearing to mingle with the grief.

Waverunner moved her head enough so that she could see Mandy clearly, the one eye peering at the teen with the harshest judging look she'd ever recived. Not willing to wither under that look, Mandy looked right back, hiding any sense of fear she felt at the gaze. Waverunner may be injured, but she could still be deadly.

_'...I saved your life once before. Now it is time to repay me for doing so.'_

"Anything, Waverunner. I'd do anything to help you." She ment every word.

The Legendary blinked. _'Then listen to what I wish you to do. You must warn the others on the Isle of what is to come.'_

"Where is the island?"

_'On the other side of the Kessho Region.'_

Mandy paused for less than a second. "I can go as soon as I gather everything that I need. Which isn't much."

_'And you must take something with you. Something that you must guard with more than your life.'_

Now the teen blinked. More than her life? How much more was there to give? She didn't ask, though. "What is it?"

Waverunner very slowly, and very painfully, lifted the wing that was on the side Mandy sat on. _'Look there, quickly. My strength is fading.'_

Nodding, Mandy got up and limped under the giant wing, searching for whatever it was that she needed to find. And find it she did, a small white and blue thing that the waves caressed gently. She bent over and lifted it up, and limped over to Waverunner's head, gritting her teeth against the twisted ankle that she now remembered having. Once she sat down, Mandy looked at what she held, and gasped.

An egg. A perfect blue and white egg, with a pattern like the waves decorating the shell. It glowed pure in the soft moonlight, and Mandy immediatly fell in love with the egg and what it carried, now understanding exactly what Waverunner ment when she said her most precious thing.

_'Take that to the Isle with you, and give it to the others. But...if my first child hatches before you arrive...give it the name of Stormbringer. Male or female, the name shall fit.'_

"Stormbringer..." Mandy murmered, looking at the egg with soft eyes, running her finger over the smooth shell delicatly.

Waverunner's wing crashed back to the beach, and another pained cry left the Lugia, wrenching Mandy's attention back to her dying friend. "Waverunner?"

_'I'm fine...my time is almost here. But promise me, child. Promise me that you'll do what I asked of you.'_ Her voice was fading, barely more than a whisper inside the girl's mind.

Mandy nodded, and put her hand next to Waverunner's eye once more. "I promise. And you should know...my name is Mandy."

Her eye curved in a slight smile. _'A very pretty name for a very pretty girl...'_

Then the eye closed, and the Lugia gave a great sigh and grew still. Mandy felt the life vanish from the feathers under her hand as they dulled, no longer filled with vitality and power. They became normal.

Starting to tremble, Mandy opened the silver case on her necklace, and saw that the feather there was the only one that remained bright. Like Waverunner's soul had chosen to keep that one alive, like a beacon of hope for the girl.

Clutching the beautiful egg and feather to her body, Mandy curled up against the body of her friend and savior, and screamed her grief and pain out into the still night air.

* * *

><p>The moon was high in the sky directly overhead, casting a cold yet soft light on the teenage girl as she leaned her back against the cold body that she sat next to. Blue eyes that had long stopped crying, yet had remained moist with tears, looked up at that perfect full moon, wondering.<p>

Wondering why this had all happened. Wondering what would come in the future. Wondering if what was promised could be accomplished.

Mandy stayed silent, as she had since she'd stopped sobbing. She'd told herself to stay with Waverunner's body and watch over it, like a vigil. It was the least she could do to honor her friend's passing. Even though she was tired, Mandy forced her eyes to remain open, staring up at the cold, aloof moon.

But if she didn't know any better, the light from the moon had just gotten stonger.

Blinking, Mandy realized that it wasn't coming from the moon, but from the body behind her. Holding the egg close to her, she scrambled to her feet and backed up. Her eyes widened as the Lugia's body glistened brightly, emmiting its own blinding glow, much like the feather had done once Mandy had completed the lullaby.

This time, Mandy forced herself to shield her eyes, only allowing her the briefest glances every few seconds to see what was happening. If she didn't know any better, the body was beginning to fade into the moonlight...!

"No, wait!" Uncovering her eyes and breaking her silence, Mandy took a few steps towards Waverunner's body, but when she reached where it had lain, the last few traces were already floating up in the trails of light, heading for the moon itself as it shone on them. Hugging the egg to herself tightly, the girl watched as her friend disappeared into the sky.

"...I hope you'll be happy up there..." she whispered up at the hanging orb. "Because I need you to be. And I hope you can watch me."

Looking down at the egg she still held, Mandy allowed herself a small smile.

"Me and Stormbringer."


	4. A Fight

**Well dang, I didn't think it would take me this long to post this next chapter. Dx So sorry for the delay, but I've been working on finding a job and keeping my parents happy by doing all the chores that they decided to have me do, just because I've graduated high school. * grumbles * Anyway, to answer the reviews from my last chapter~**

**pokegirl360: Who said it was the last time they'd meet? ;)**

**Jugenfrei: I love the Dinotopia series, but I was never able to find that one book, so I never got to read it. And yes, it's called Hatchling. :3 And of course Mandy will treat Storm like a mother would her own kid, Storm is her friend's child. x3 And yesh, the baby will be very adorable.**

**MarcusTheRocker: Yes, I shall do just that. :3 I just hope that I can find the motivation to keep writing. Procrastination and I dance. A lot. :P**

**Alright. On to the next chapter of Stormbringer! :D**

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><p><strong>Stormbringer<strong>

It was dead silent the next morning when Mandy finally stumbled into her house.

Grimacing in pain, Mandy limped towards the stairs that would lead to her upstairs room, cursing her twisted ankle. She looked around quickly, to see if her mother was anywhere around on the ground floor. No sign of life.

But just as her hand gripped the railing, a light flickered on from upstairs, and the frantic footsteps that approached cause the blonde to cringe, because she knew well what was coming up next.

"MANDY!"

Yup. The very shrill, ear-splitting scream of rage that her already pounding head did not need.

Her mother appeared at the top of the stairs, eyes wide in anger as she glared down at her daughter, too furious to see the state Mandy was currently in. "What the hell have I told you about coming in late! This is the final straw, young lady!"

Mandy just sighed, clutching the backpack she was held to her chest more tightly. "Mom, if you'd just let me explain-"

"There is _no_ explaining! You are grounded for the rest of this month! No video games, no TV, no nothing!"

"Mom, please-"

"And you're going to get rid of those Pokemon of yours as well! You never should have caught them, you know how much that I don't like-"

_"Will you shut up and listen to me?"_ Mandy shrieked. She was tired, too tired to deal with this. She sure as heck did not need her mother going all balistic on her now of all times. Her patience was completly gone. "The reason I was late is because the friend who saved me at the beach was _killed!_"

Karen paused, blinking at the outburst. It was rare that Mandy yelled, unless she was extreamly upset about something. Quickly, she did a check of her daughter, eyes widening in horror when she finally saw. Mandy's clothes were stained with something dark, something that looked exactly like blood, and her hair and face had the tell-tale streaks of red as well. Her long hair was tangled into a horrible rat's nest, she didn't put any weight on her left foot, and her eyes were swollen and tear-filled. Karen finally sensed the pain and saddness coming from the bedraggled teenager, but also something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Oh my god..." Her hand flew to her mouth, covering it whlie she stared. "Wh-what on earth happened?"

Mandy sighed and shook her head. "Mom, I really, really need to go to my room. Please don't yell at me again, my head is killing me." So was her ankle, but it was just a dull throb now, only hurting when she put weight on it. She looked up at her mother with pleading eyes, hoping that she wouldn't go back on her tirade, or worse. Become that mother hen who would smother her baby with over-protectivness.

Karen stared at her blonde daughter for a few more seconds, then shook her head rapidly. "Get those clothes off of you. I'll need to treat the stains before they set."

Mandy sighed inl relief, letting her shoulders slump in exhaution. "Thank you." Slowly, she limped up the stairs, using the railing for a lean on. She kept the backpack close to herself at all times, though, holding onto it with one arm while the other was used to balance herself. Normally she would have had it on her back, but what was inside it now was too fragile, too precious. She had held it all the way back to her house while riding Silvercloud, who put on more speed than normal when she saw her trainer in the condition she was in.

The brunette mother watched as her daughter made it past the last of the steps and made her way into the bathroom in the hall, shutting the door behind herself. As soon as it was closed, she heard a quiet sob that nearly broke her heart. Mandy was a good girl, though she was stubborn and defiant towards her mother, fighting what Karen thought would be best for her and forging her own path instead. It worried the hell out of her mom. She wanted her daughter to be safe, with no possibility of loosing her.

And she wouldn't loose her. Karen's face became set, taking the same stubborn expression that Mandy often used with her. She refused to let her daughter so anything else so foolish again, whether Mandy accepted it or not. She would not loose another member of her family.

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><p>Mandy got out of the shower not twenty minutes later, looking less like she'd come out of a deadly battle and more like she had just finished an extreamly strenuous excercise. Arms around the backpack once more, she limped her way to her room, brain focused on one thing: getting some sleep.<p>

Stumbling in and shutting the door behind herself, the blonde collapsed on the bed, sighing in bliss when her body sank into the plushness. She slowly opened her backpack and pulled out Waverunner's egg, running her fingers over the surface to check for any scratches or breaks in the shell, just like she had done in the shower when she cleaned it of the blood she accidentally got on it.

Nothing was wrong. The egg was smooth as silk, perfect in everyway. Mandy smiles and hugged it to herself, careful to not squeeze too tightly, not wanting to crush it.

A soft knocking at the door had her jumping up in alarm. Quickly, she placed the egg under her pillow at the head of her bed and sat in front of it, blocking the way to it with her own body. She absolutely refused to have her mother see it. Karen would have a cow. Her bedroom door cracked open, and Mandy tensed, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

A small figure with haphazard brown hair and wide hazel eyes slowly slipped in, and Mandy bit back a curse. She didn't think that her brother would be up so early, it was the weekend. "What do you want, Jacob."

Jacob paused at the sound of her voice, blinking at her. "You're up still?"

"Nope, I'm sleeptalking." Mandy rolled her eyes.

He gave a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. His sister eyed him cautiously, waiting for him to speak.

"...Can you tell me what happened, Mandy? I saw you come in covered in blood..." The ten year-old looked up at his sister worriedly, causing her heart to ache. Her brother was never scared, stupid bravery and mischief taking it's place. Her appearence must have rattled him quite a bit.

Mandy shook her head slowly. "I can't tell you what happened, Jake," she said, using her nickname for him in a soft, soothing tone. "And you don't have to worry about it either. I'm alright."

"B-but, you were covered in blood...!"

"It wasn't my blood. I'm not hurt." Sighing, Mandy moved to the edge of the bed and opened her arms. Jacob hesitated, then ran forward and hugged her tightly, burrowing his face into her neck while she wrapped her arms around him. Her brother was a pest most of the time, but she couldn't help but love him. Even if she didn't like him most of the time. "Shh, it's alright, Jake. Big sis just had a very rough night."

He hugged her more tightly, climbing up onto the bed to wrap his arms around her better. Smiling, Mandy helped him. "What are you doing up now anyway? You always sleep late on wekends."

"Mom was up all night worrying about ya, and I couldn't get to sleep cause she kept all the lights on." Jacob pouted. "Then she gave up around midnight and I went to sleep after she turned the lights off. I woke up again when she yelled at you when you came in."

Mandy sighed. "Well, you better go get some more sleep, or you won't have any energy for the rest of the day." Petting his mess of hair, she let him go and smiles reassuringly.

"But..."

"No buts. Get yours back to bed, I need to rest as well. I was up all night too."

"...Alright. Night, Mandy." The kid slid off her bed and walked out of her room, closing the door behind himself quietly. The blonde sighed and rubbed her eyes, yawning in exhaution. She really did need som good sleep, otherwise she wouldn't be able to deal with her mother later on.

Laying down on her side, Mandy pulled the egg out from under the pillow and placed it next to her, close enough for her to touch it with one hand, but far enough away for her to not roll over onto it while she was asleep. She had a habit of tossing and turning, but she had a feeling that she'd be sleeping like the dead for at least a good couple of hours. She knew that despite the shower she had taken, she still looked like she belonged _with_ the dead. Dressed in long fuzzy pants and a spaghetti tank top, she snuggled under her blanket with Waverunner's egg, placed her hand on the smooth surface, and easily drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

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><p>She woke slowly, her brain reluctant to return to reality so soon. She fought to keep herself in the soothing darkness, but still she found herself more aware of her surroundings.<p>

The first thing she felt was the softness of the bed and pillow under her head, and the warmth her body had created while she slept. Then her ears picked up the distant sound of pots and pans clanking together, the noise muffled by walls and her door. Then she saw the small slivers of light through her heavy eyelids, prompting her to crack them open to see what the source of the light was.

Blinking, Mandy closed her eyes and yawned, then mentally grumbled to herself for leaving a crack in her window shades. The sun beyond had found it and seemed determined to light her entire room through that one small opening. Slowly slipping from her warm bed, the blonde limped over to the curtain and pulled it shut, blocking out the single ray of light. She felt a dull throbbing in her ankle again, but it wasn't as severe as before. Maybe she had just sprained it a little, and it would heal in about a day or two. She hoped that was the case. Flopping back onto her bed, Mandy let her mind wake up just a little bit more before she turned her head to look for the egg where she had left it when she went to sleep.

It wasn't there.

Alarm flashed through her, snapping her out of her drowsy state as she quickly sat up and looked all over for it, inhaling sharply. She relaxed only when she saw the very top of the white egg poking out from under the covers she had pushed aside when she had gotten up. She scooted up and uncovered it, checking over it for any signs of breaking before hugging it again. She felt so peaceful when she held the egg, or even when she looked at it, watching the blue markings swirl over the white background in intricat patterns.

Reassured that it was okay, Mandy tucked it under her pillow and stood up, stretching her muscles and cracking her back at the same time, shivering in relief. Then she opened her door and wandered out, peeking downstairs to check on what was happening.

Pots and pans still clattered noisily in the kitchen, meaning that Karen was cooking something again. Mandy had no idea what the time was, but she knew that it wasn't morning anymore. The faintest sound of talking and cartoon noises suggested that Jacob was watching the TV, his usual weekend pasttime. Karen never allowed Jacob to indulge in other things, afraid that he too would wind up loving Pokemon like Mandy did. All channels that had anything to do with Pokemon, even remotely, were blocked. It made Mandy really mad when she had found that out, but she didn't bother the TV now that she had real Pokemon with her.

That thought reminded Mandy of her promise to Waverunner. She needed to get ready to go, and the first thing she would need to check on was the status of her Pokemon. She turned back to her room and looked for her belt that still held her other two Pokeballs. But no matter where she looked, she couldn't find it, or Silvercloud's Pokeball. Eyes widening in realization, the blonde turned and rushed down the stairs as fast as she could go, her ankle hindering her just enough to become aggrivated at her slowed pace.

"Mom, why did you take my Pokemon?" Storming into the kitchen, Mandy glared at her mother, furious. No one but the teen herself was allowed to touch them, and Karen knew it. Mandy defended her three Pokemon with an undying sense of courage, which often brought her into conflict with her mother.

"Mandy, this isn't the time to be taking up an attitude with me," the brunette said, stirring a bowl of what promised to be some of her prize-winning cookies, back turned to where her daughter was standing so she wouldn't have to see her face.

"The hell it's not! Give them back, you don't know how to take care of them right!"

"Don't you dare use that language at me, young lady!" Karen snapped, forcing herself to concentrate on stirring the dough. "And I told you before that you're grounded. No games, no TV, and certainly no Pokemon!"

Mandy barely surpressed the urge to throw something. Those Pokemon were her closest friends, her only real companions when she was here at home. Her brother was usually a pest, and her mother was a pain to deal with. Her Pokemon gave her a way to get out and away from the maddness and calm herself by training with them, making them, and herself, stronger. "You can't ground me from them, Mom! I need them to go with me!"

Karen froze at those words. A few breathless seconds passed, the tension that suddenly snapped into the room thick and heavy. Slowly, she put the bowl down and turned to her daughter, eyes stone hard and expression unmoving. "What did you say?"

"I need them to go with me. I have something extreamly important that I have to do, and they'll help me get there in one piece." Mandy gave her mother the exact same face that she was getting, the two identical, yet unalike. Jacob, having heard the fuss, decided to eavesdrop, peering cautiously around the corner to where the two warring women stood, ready for battle.

"Mandalin, are you saying that you're going to leave this house?" Karen's tone was calm, deadly calm. Her hands started to tremble slightly.

"Yes, I am. Look Mom, I can't tell you what exactly happened, but I can tell you this: I was told by a very old friend that I had to do something, and my ability to do it is extreamly important. The fate of every Legendary Pokemon in the region is depending on me, so I need to go. Now."

"You're not going anywhere." Short, cutting and to the point, Karen's tone left no room for argument. But Mandy found it anyway.

"I'm going to go, you can't stop me! So just give me my Pokemon!"

_"You are not going anywhere!"_ Her mother screamed the words, so loud that even Mandy had to resist the urge to flinch. "You are going to stay here, and that's final! I will not loose my daughter to the stupidity of the Pokemon world, do you understand me?"

The blonde teenager screamed right back, totally fed up with her mother's prejudice. "Pokemon are not stupid, Mom! They're a way of life! Just because you hate them doesn't mean you can bar me from doing what I love, and what I love are Pokemon! I want to be a trainer, I want to have my own Pokemon and be able to travel with them, see the world! You're not going to turn me into you!"

"I'm not trying to turn you into me, Mandalin! I'm keeping you safe from all the dangers I know are out there!"

Mandy saw red. She formed the words that she had never dared use before and let them pass her lips.

"You hate Pokemon just because Dad loved being a trainer more than he loved being with you!"

Karen paused, eyes widening to their full size, her brown pupils lost in the white. Mandy glared at her viciously, and kept yelling, letting out what she had felt for a long time.

"You don't want to lose me to the same 'Pokemon stupidity' because of him leaving, and I'm sick and tired of you blocking me from doing what I need to do! I'm going to go and be a trainer like Dad was, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Turning, Mandy ran as fast as she could up the stairs, heading straight for her mother's room, determined to turn it upside down if she had to tp find her Pokemon. She heard her mother's footsteps follow her close behind, but she ignored her as she started to rifle through Karen's room. That is, until she was turned around and got a very painful slap across her face. Stunned for a few seconds, Mandy blinked and stared at her mom.

Karen was livid. "How _dare_ you talk to your own mother that way. How _dare_ you disrespect me like that! You are _never_ going out of here, and you are certainly not going to be a trainer!" The teen was grabbed by her arm and tugged out of Karen's room, and shoved into her own roughly. Locking the door from the outside, Mandy's mother slammed the door shut just as Mandy reached it, trying to jerk it open, to no avail.

"Let me out! You let me out right now Mom!" She screeched, fighting to get the door unlocked and open.

Karen answered from the other side, voice cold. "You're not coming out until you learn that you will _not_ do anything like that to me again. And I'm going to get rid of those Pokemon for you."

Panic flashed through Mandy's system. She needed her Pokemon. She needed them if she was going to travel to the island Waverunner told her about. The way across the Kessho region was too trecherous to do without them, too many dangers lurking and waiting for an unprotected human to come along. And with the added measure of the Pokemon hunter's gang, Mandy was doomed to failure if she didn't have her team. "No, don't do that! I need them, don't let them go!"

Hard footsteps walking away from the door told Mandy that her yelling wasn't going to change anything, but she'd be damned if she didn't try to get out and stop Karen from going through with her threat. Banging and kicking against the door, Mandy screamed and yelled, fighting to get it open, to undo what her mother wanted done. She fought with the stubborn piece of wood for over an hour until she was too exhausted to keep going.

Letting out a sob, she slid down to the floor, sitting on her knees and propping her upper half up with her arms, even though they trembled. Her knuckles were bloody from where she had tried to punch the door down, and her feet ached from the constant kicking she had tried, the twisted ankle screaming out in pain. But the door hadn't budged. It still stood, battered and beaten, but unbroken. Mandy's head hung down while she cried, a feeling of despair creeping over her.

She was failing Waverunner. She knew it, and the knowledge that she couldn't change it on her own was breaking her heart.

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><p><strong>Yeah, not exactly pertaining to the storyline exactly (in my opinion), but I've already worked this into the future chapters. Ya'll see. :3 Ciao, you lovely readers!<strong>


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